Flowers
by asteroid127
Summary: Petunia Evans has always been very jealous of her sister's magic. But, as the first war against Voldemort continues, she finds herself drawn into Lily's world. Alternate Universe. WARNING: Petunia..Remus. A bit angsty in places. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1: Friction

Friction

**Disclaimer: I'm not J K Rowling. I'm not Warner Bros. I'm not Harry Potter, or anyone he belongs to (i.e. Ginny!)**

**Warning: Remus Lupin/Petunia Evans. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.**

**Author's Note: Read and review, no flames please, constructive criticism only. Thanks! And the disclaimer applies to the whole 11-chaptered story.

* * *

**

_Sister dear,  
__How's the freak school? This is your last year there, isn't it?_

_Made any more freak friends? You seem to have chased most of mine away._

_And how's that James Potter getting on? You don't seem to have mentioned him for a while. Anything wrong? Or are you starting to like him?_

_My parents are fine, as you well know. Dad is going to London for a few days, but Mum and I are staying here. Not that it would make any difference: that freak bird would still be able to find me, I'm sure._

_You know fine well that I have my Highers this year, and need to revise, so don't let your freak bird bother me any more than necessary. I know that you don't have to do any work at your freak school, but, strangely enough, it is different in the real and normal world._

_I have a lot of homework, so don't expect any more letters soon. And don't let that freak bird peck me when I don't reply straight away, OK?_

_Bye,  
__Petunia_

* * *

_Dear Petunia,  
__It's really great to be back at Hogwarts. Yes, this is my last year here, but I'm going to keep in contact with my friends, of course. I've been considering going in for Healing at St. Mungo's, a wizard hospital. What are your plans?_

_Remember Remus? He's James Potter's friend? Well, he seems to be the most sensible of that gang, and he's quite nice. And Petunia, I am sorry about your friends, but it's not my fault if you introduced me to them, is it?_

_Glad to hear that our parents are all right. More travelling for work? Goodness. Poor Dad. And poor you, for having to stay at home._

_You know, owls are very good at finding people, wherever they are, although if you moved to New Zealand or something it would obviously take longer for the letters to reach you!_

_Yeah, I've got NEWTs – Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests – this year, which are kind of the equivalent to your Highers, or maybe Advanced Highers – I'm not sure which. Kind of a combination, I suppose. Anyway, I won't be writing to you so frequently either, because I've been having trouble with Transfiguration, and I can't get Herbology straight in my head._

_I'm sorry if Luke's been pecking you. I'll tell him not to, and hope he listens!_

_Write back soon, if you can,  
__Lily._

* * *

_L._

_REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. DUNNO WHAT'S GOING ON+ THINK YOU MIGHT._

_Dawsons – live next door – found dead this morning + nobody heard anything in night. Doctors dunno why, cause bodies unmarked but symbol floating in air above house. See back._

_Who did it + why?_

_P._

* * *

_Dear Petunia,  
__BE CAREFUL AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. I LOVE YOU AND DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO YOU._

_The symbol is called the Dark Mark, and it represents Lord Voldemort, probably the most evil wizard who ever lived. Voldemort hates Muggles, which is probably why he attacked the Dawsons._

_Please tell Mum that I'll be coming home for the Christmas holidays this year._

_Love you,  
__Lily_


	2. Chapter 2: Festivities

Festivities

I found it very odd, having Lily home for the Christmas holidays, because she hadn't been home at Christmas for three years running. But we all adjusted, even me, eventually. I just felt a bit left out when Mum and Dad cooed over Lily's stories of the freak school. They never did that with me!

Lily was actually quite nice to me, although I couldn't help feeling just a little bit bitter that she was getting all the attention. Just because I was younger! It wasn't fair.

We both got money as our main Christmas present, so, two or three days later, we went shopping together. It was a good chance to get out of the house, which was starting to feel like a prison, and the Christmas sales were on.

We were laden with shopping bags by the time we reached our street, and I thought my arms were about to drop off. Lily couldn't do a lightening charm on the bags, either, because someone tried to blow up their cousin during the last holidays, so the freak school had stopped letting the pupils do freaky stuff outside school.

When we reached our street, though, my head felt light and I just dropped the shopping bags.

"Lily," I whispered, ashen-faced, "what's that?"

She looked up at the Dark Mark. Floating above our house.

* * *

I ran through the rooms, hoping against hope that Mum and Dad wouldn't be- wouldn't be-

But they were.

In the kitchen, Dad kind of crumpled beside the back door, and Mum near his shoulder. The back door was hanging open and the kitchen was freezing. Or maybe that was just me, looking at Mum and Dad, lying there like scrunched-up paper dolls.

Lily had learned some sort of freaky transport – Apparating, she called it – and was using it to get help. I heard a crack, followed by Lily's voice at the front of the house.

"Come in the back door, Professor…" she trailed off at the sight of me, tears streaming down my face, desperately checking Mum's pulse for signs of… life.

"Oh, Petunia!"

"Lily!"

We collapsed into each other's arms, trying to hold the world off, and crying floods.

* * *

The man Lily had brought back with her was the Headmaster of her school, and he quickly arranged for us to stay with some family that Lily knew. It was actually the home of James Potter, someone Lily hated. He was, and I quote, "arrogant, stupid, scruffy, lazy and generally git-full". I didn't think he was too bad, although he was obviously smitten with Lily.

His friends were staying there too – Sirius Black, an impulsive and disgustingly handsome young man, Peter Pettigrew, who was rather shy but friendly, and Remus Lupin, who was nervous and jumpy, and _unnaturally _thin.

Lily spent the start of the holidays avoiding the four boys, who she suspected were trying to prank her, but after a while she joined me, James, Sirius, Peter and Remus in our plans for pranking at Hogwarts.

Obviously I couldn'tgo to Hogwarts, being a Muggle, but the boys said I cast a different perspective on things, and was really good at spotting mistakes. Once Lily joined us, James didn't seem to take part in the conversations any more, staring instead at Lily. And Lily would just stare back.

I approached Lily one day, and asked her why she and James didn't get together.

"I hate him!" came the reply. "He's a thoughtless, tactless git and I hate him!"

I shrugged and left her alone, but I noticed her expression become rather thoughtful as I left.

* * *

Before long, Lily and the others had to go back to Hogwarts. I had resigned myself to several weeks of incredible boredom, although Lily and Remus both promised to write as often as possible. Sirius and Peter had also promised to write if one of my pranks went well, but they all had their NEWTs, and I didn't expect frequent letters.

Two days after Lily left for Hogwarts, Mrs Potter introduced me to the wonders of Floo Travel – an experience I never wished to repeat – and took me back to school.


	3. Chapter 3: Future

Future

To my surprise, I didn't find my friends at all interesting any more. I couldn't see what was so special about this Vernon Dursley they kept cooing over and their girly nonsense wound me up, since I knew there was a Wizarding war going on. Why couldn't they talk about important things, like their Highers, or what they planned to do when they left school? I found myself drifting further and further away from the 'Muggle World'.

Mrs Potter had got me a subscription to the Wizarding newspaper – the Daily Prophet – and I would read it every day. I started meeting Lily and the marauders (as they called themselves) during their Hogsmeade weekends. I thought of them as my friends, instead of the pathetic girls back at Smeltings.

I read about the Wizarding world too, and Lily helped give me a better grounding in Wizarding knowledge than a lot of wizards had!

Lily and James started going out, and about time too! They were made for each other, but Lily hadn't seemed to want to admit it.

And Remus and I became firm friends.

* * *

The school year was over in no time, and I was sitting my Highers and Lily was sitting her NEWTs. And then we were getting our results, and I had almost all 'A's, to my surprise, and Lily had top marks too. And we left school – both of us – and tried to find a job. 

Lily wanted to be a Healer for wizards, and was one of the lucky few to get the training. James and Sirius wanted to be Aurors – like magical policemen crossed with James Bond – and were fortunate enough to be taught by some of the best Aurors of their time. Peter got a job in the Ministry of Magic. I bought a flat and worked in a bookshop in Diagon Alley. Remus, however, could not get a job.

I couldn't understand why – he was bright, had incredibly good NEWT results, and worked very hard. Who wouldn't want him? But even if he did get a job, he never held it for more than a month.

Eventually, I asked him why. He gave me a long look, as though sizing me up, and then answered my question with another question.

"You've been reading about the magical world, haven't you?"

I nodded.

"So you know about the prejudice against werewolves…"

"Yes," I replied, "but I can't understand it. I mean, they're only dangerous once a month, and I think Lily said something about a potion that stops them being dangerous even then."

Remus nodded, sadly. "Well, neither can I, but I 'm a werewolf, and that's the way the world is."

I gasped. "You're a werewolf? But-"

'That's not possible,' I wanted to say. 'Surely werewolves don't exist.' But I'd read books about them and, now I came to think of it, Remus _did _fit a lot of the descriptions. And it would explain why he couldn't keep a job.

"I suppose it makes sense," I conceded. And then I hugged him.

"I'm so sorry for you," I whispered. "Having to live with unreasonable prejudices for something you can't help being!"

Remus looked surprised at my reaction, but he didn't hesitate in hugging me back.

For some reason, his hugging me made me feel just a little bit better, in this insecure world.

* * *

James and Lily got married not long after that. We'd all been expecting it of course, and I know for a fact that Sirius and Peter were making bets on how long it would be until James asked Lily or Lily asked James, and then on how long it would be until they actually held the wedding. They were very careful to make sure that neither the bride nor the groom found out about this, though. 

I was bridesmaid, and Sirius was best man. It was a little ceremony, with only the closest friends and family invited. It was a happy moment in a world torn apart by war, and when Lily and James looked at each other with such adoration in their eyes, I couldn't help wishing that I felt like that about someone…

But who was there? Sirius, and Peter, and Remus…


	4. Chapter 4: Fish

Fish

My friends and sister were dangerously involved in this war. I was all for standing back and letting it take its course without including me, but they didn't agree. I was so scared for them, and they were so scared for me, a Muggle in the wizarding world…

Lily and James were constantly, or so it felt, coming up against Lord Voldemort himself, and Sirius' _job _was defying the evil… man Peter was busy spying on the Dark Lord himself, and Remus, my boyfriend now, was spying on the werewolves, trying to persuade them to join him in the fight against Voldemort.

And I thought I was safe, until the night the hooded, robed figures turned up in my flat.

* * *

I had been preparing dinner for Remus, who was coming to visit, when I heard several loud and violent cracks in my bedroom. Immediately, I felt a horrible fear. That was what Apparition sounded like, but who, apart from Remus, would be Apparating into my flat, my bedroom? And Remus always rang the bell… 

But these Death Eaters I had been told about, who killed Muggles for no other reason than that they were Muggles…

I armed myself with a salt cellar and the fish I had been preparing, and tried to peer through the crack at the hinges on the door. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear some voices, which didn't put me at my ease at all.

"Remember, kill the Muggle and get out." This voice seemed to have a hissing quality, almost like a snake.

"Yes, master," whined another man.

I could almost hear him thinking: _why did the boss have to come along anyway? This is going to be no fun._ _I wish he'd let me get on with my own work on my own…_

Then the doorbell rang, and I suddenly remembered: Remus! He must have finished early, or something. And he rang the doorbell as usual, and the people that I assumed were Death Eaters heard it, and were coming to 'kill the Muggle'!

And Remus was too polite to barge in; he would wait until I opened the door, which wasn't going to happen, and I would be killed in here with my boyfriend standing outside, too polite to come in!

The bedroom door slammed open, and I screamed and instinctively threw the salt cellar at the man coming through the door, and then I was left with a raw fish, and I was going to die, and Remus wouldn't know, and-

"REMUS!" I screamed, desperately, as I saw the other man charging through the door at me, and then the front door hit the floor as Remus charged in, and dropped the flowers he was holding, and pulled out his wand, but he was too late, the man in black was raising his wand and had cast a spell in my direction, and he was going to kill me, I knew, and then Remus yelled "PROTEGO!" and it stopped the other spell, and the evil man was turning on Remus, and I threw the fish, and it hit the evil man in the face, and he spat out the fish and cast a spell at me, and then one at Remus, and Remus was too slow to stop this spell, and I had to dodge, and I hid behind the kitchen counter, and then I realised that Remus was going to die, and I wasn't doing anything, and I picked up the carving knife beside me and threw it, and it missed and hit a nice china vase, which broke, and then there were spells flying in every direction as Remus and the other man tried to find a break in the other's defences, and then a red light hit Remus and he went all pale and fell backwards, and the robed man laughed and turned on me, and his eyes were all red like the spell, and I flung the chopping board at him, and this time I thought it missed, but I heard him yelp and he vanished with another nasty crack. I hoped that I had given him a black eye or worse.

I turned and ran to Remus, who was lying on the floor all pale and still, but he was breathing, so I knew he wasn't dead. Then I pulled a mirror out of a drawer, and almost yelled Lily's name in it. Her face appeared.

"Petunia?"

"Lily! You've got to come right now! Two men were in my bedroom and they attacked Remus and I threw a knife at one and it missed and I've broken a really nice vase and Remus got hit with a red light and I threw a fish at him – not Remus, some other man – and you need to come now, Lily! Remus is just lying all pale and still and I don't know what to do and I'm scared another man'll turn up in those robes and stuff, and I need help!"

Lily looked confused, but she reacted quickly. "I'll be right over, Petunia. Just hold on."


	5. Chapter 5: Fracas

Fracas

Remus was lucky: he'd only been hit by a strong stunning spell. Maybe the hooded figure had been planning to finish him off after I'd been dealt with. That was a scary thought.

But Remus and Lily put up Anti-Apparition wards around my flat, and several other wards too, including one that told me who was trying to get in. And they gave me an emergency Portkey in case I was ever in the same position again. I attached it to my house-keys and carried it everywhere with me.

* * *

Remus and I saw more and more of each other as time went on. I kept inviting Remus round, since I hated the thought of him staying in his horrible little flat on his own, and anyway I missed him, and he met me in certain Muggle places.

But less than a week after the first visit from the Death Eaters, I came across them again.

* * *

Remus and I were in one of Muggle London's quieter cafes, enjoying a cup of tea together. I was telling him about one of my more annoying customers at the bookshop when the lights went out.

This was not as dramatic as it sounds, since it was two o'clock in the afternoon.

The cracks that followed the lack of lighting, however, were very dramatic, as was the appearance of four Death Eaters. Several Muggles screamed.

Remus and I didn't even look at each other: we acted. He had his wand out and I was out of my chair and grabbing the Death Eaters' wands before they even noticed. Maybe they were still disoriented from the Apparition or something.

I managed to get hold of three of the four wands, before a red light hit me and I felt the most excruciating pain. And then I think another light hit me, although it was hard to tell through the agony in every part of my body, and I heard a voice commanding me to give up the wands, and return them to their owners.

I was walking towards the Death Eaters with their wands when I heard Remus' voice, and realised that no, I didn't want to give the other Death Eaters their power back. Slowly, ever so slowly, I summoned enough of my wits to tell me to break the first wand. And then my muscles had to be persuaded that yes, they did want to break the wand, despite the pain and I had to break it…

And break it did.

Even I could feel the resultant explosion of magic. Little did I know that the breaking of a wand was a very dangerous process around the owner of the wand, especially when the person breaking it was under the influence of a spell or potion themselves.

But the explosion seemed to distract the person with red eyes who was casting the spells on me, and I was free – if you can call lying on the floor and wishing the aftereffects of the pain would go away 'free' – of the curse.

Remus had ducked desperately, but was already rising to cast freezing charms or stunners at the Death Eaters. Only, he was slightly too slow. Three of the Death Eaters had already gone, and the other was running for the door. He might have made it – if he had noticed the Aurors (including Sirius, as it happened) waiting for him.


	6. Chapter 6: Foes

Foes

That ordeal was bad enough, but there was another one coming, only one day later…

* * *

I was shopping when the masked figures reappeared, this time silently, although all in one place, and looking rather dizzy. I didn't even think; I just rammed my shopping trolley into the midst of them as hard as possible. They fell over like skittles, and I was treating the trolley like a scooter, speeding down the aisle. Of course, that was when some little old lady, doing her own shopping, walked out in front of me. I think it was only luck that got me turning the trolley, although I don't know if landing under the tinned tomatoes can count as luck.

The Death Eaters were approaching. I groaned. Why _me_? What was so special about _me_? Why kill _me_?

One of them grabbed my hair, not even bothering to pull me out of the pile of cans, and- well I assume he Disapparated, although I didn't hear any pop or crack.

It is not pleasant to be the subject of Side-Along Apparition when the only way you are attached to the Appartee is by your hair. I'm sure he pulled half my hair out on the journey.

And then I was on my knees in a house that was definitely the worse for wear. I had the distinct impression that it was very big.

I stood up, brushed myself off, and looked around. I still felt shaken by the trip, so the best I could do was pointedly ignore the robed, masked figures around me.

"Petrificus Totalus!" one yelled, and a flash of light hit me. It gave me a sort of light, floaty feeling, as though I couldn't feel my own body, but my arms were stuck to my sides, and my legs wouldn't move. I could roll my eyes and glare at them, but that was about it.

Some Death Eater levitated me through the house, to a large room with a rather scruffy armchair. I couldn't help noticing how the house was really in need of a good clean and general smartening up.

They took the charm off me, and left me alone in the room. Obviously, I tried the door handle, but it gave me a kind of electric shock when I touched it, and I was willing to bet that it was locked magically. And I was four storeys above the ground, so there was no chance of jumping out the window unless I was definitely going to die anyway. I'm generally a disgusting optimist, so of course I didn't jump.

I wandered round the gigantic room, frowning at the tops of the bookshelves, which were covered in three inches of dust. And there were spiders living round the mantelpiece, and wispy cobwebs hanging from the chandelier, which was so filthy that it didn't even glint, and-

_Someone was watching me. _I stood very still, and glared at the bookshelf in front of me. I could feel the prickle on the back of my neck that meant they were waiting for me to do something – anything.

All the books were on the Dark Arts. _The person was moving closer._ One particularly thick one was all about magical torture through the ages. _I could hear their footsteps._ Another one had what looked like… _blood_… on it. _There was a whispering slither too, like a snake would make. A snake!_

I whirled around, a scream ready on my lips. I hated snakes! _Really _hated – not like Lily said she felt about spiders. This was a complete loathing. And there _was _a snake, and it was slithering across the floor towards me, and it was going to bite me, I knew it, and…

My gaze followed the snake's path, and came across a black robe, and followed the robe upwards, and met, blood-coloured eyes in a face the colour of a vampire's- no, I was being melodramatic. The face was white, and the eyes were red. That was all there was to it.

It was the cold expression that was the problem. And the fact that I knew those eyes. They were the eyes of that person who had cast the pain spell on me, back at the muggle café, and they were the eyes of the person I had attacked with a fish. They had the glint of someone who was mad, who liked killing. When I asked the man's name, I also found out that they were the eyes of Lord Voldemort.


	7. Chapter 7: Fear

Fear

_Lord Voldemort!_ The leader of the Death Eaters! He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! The Dark Lord! I had slapped him with a raw fish! Well, not slapped, exactly, more threw… but still…

I couldn't help smiling as I wondered how many of the All-Powerful Dark Lord's followers knew that he had been overpowered by as muggle… twice.

Lord Voldemort was within arm's reach now. I could reach out and slap him again… although I knew that somehow wouldn't be a good idea. But he reached out and grabbed me, and-

Oh, not Side-Along Apparition _again!

* * *

_

There was a village, with a huge house at the top of the hill above it. There was a graveyard in the dark, and, at the very centre of it, a gravestone so big that it could be a monument elsewhere. There was a circle of black-robed and masked men and women surrounding it, menacingly. There was, at the centre of the circle, another black-robed figure, this one un-masked, appearing with a blonde, rather thin woman. The man turned, and you could see his red eyes – not bloodshot, just red. There was no white in his eyes – only red. Red iris, red pupils… 

And the blonde woman was struggling, was kicking the man's ankles, and he had let go of her, and she was running, running, running, and falling as vines twisted round her ankles. She was hauled backwards by her ankles, and then up, up, up, until she was hanging upside down…

* * *

I glared at Lord Voldemort's upside-down smirk. He was far too smug. He deserved to be taught a lesson. I spat in his face. 

The smirk remained, although it was a little strained as the Dark Lord wiped saliva off his face.

"Miss Evans… I believe you need to be taught a lesson."

That was all the warning I got, before the red light hit me in the face. It was much more painful than a little spit. It squeezed my bones, and stretched my muscles; it hit my nerves, and battered my head; all I could hear was a high-pitched whistle and all I could see was red light, or blood, or something…

And just when I thought I was going to pass out, it stopped.

My bones seemed to have gone all soft, and my muscles were shaking. My nerves- my nerves had given up on me completely, apart from in my head, where they had surely multiplied and were magnifying the pain, like the world's worst hangover. All I could hear was my blood rushing, and all I could see was a vague shadows. I could taste blood and my throat hurt.

Lord Voldemort just laughed, and I wished I had the strength to throw a fish at him. If I'd had a fish.

Then one of the Death Eaters in the circle approached me. I cringed, trying to curl up as small as possible.

The Death Eater – a woman, I think – raised her wand, and systematically began to break all the bones in my left foot.

I'm sure I passed out at some point, but it could only have been for a moment. The spells kept coming until I could barely breathe. And then, as if to add insult to injury, Lord Voldemort used his wand to remove my trousers and underwear. The first male Death Eater approached, pulled up his robes, and bent down-

But then there was someone else there, someone who wasn't a Death Eater, who sounded furious, who was casting curses at them as though his life depended on it – which it may well have. And some more people joined this one-legged madman, and then someone was leaning over me, covering my two legs with a blanket and getting a nurse to come and look at me.

"Hey, Petunia."

It was Peter.


	8. Chapter 8: Flee

Flee

Once the Death Eaters were gone – Disapparated or captured – another man came and sat beside me. This time, it was Remus.

"Are you all right, Petunia? I'm sorry we couldn't come sooner – not even Peter knew about it. It was only when I went round to check that you were okay that-"

"Remus!" I whispered, trying not to make my throat any worse, "it's alright! I'm alright! Or at least, I will be…"

_You arrived before anything really awful happened,_ said the hand that squeezed Remus'. _I was lucky. Maybe next time, I won't be._

I sat there for a long time, clutching Remus' hand and saying nothing. He understood, and also remained silent. And when I was Portkeyed to St Mungo's Hospital, Remus came with me.

* * *

"Remus?"

It was the first word I'd said since I'd arrived in the hospital.

"Yes, Petunia?"

His breath seemed to be coming faster, more strained.

"You should be asleep."

The hospital ward was dark. I had one to myself – maybe because Remus had made a tremendous fuss, maybe not.

"So should you."

Remus hadn't slept at all, as far as I knew, while I'd been in hospital. He hadn't slept and I hadn't spoken.

Only now I had.

There was a long pause. I could hear Remus trying to breathe as quietly as possible.

I switched the bedside light on.

"I threw a fish at Lord Voldemort."

Another pause, and then Remus and I both started to laugh.

And then I told him all about the night a Death Eater almost raped me.


	9. Chapter 9: Family Matters

Family Matters

It was only a few months later when Remus proposed to me. I immediately accepted, and we had the wedding at Hogwarts a month later. It was a small wedding, held in one of the few bright moments during the war against Voldemort, but it made me happy.

And then Lily and I both got pregnant.

I couldn't believe it. Not only was I going to have a baby – my very own child! – but Lily was, too, one month later. Remus and James walked around with incredibly goofy grins for the next few weeks after we told them.

And on the 28th of June, 1980, six days late, my daughter was born. We called her Rhialle Lupin. One month later, Lily had her son. Harry James Potter was born on the 31st July.

Rhialle was a beautiful child, even if I say so myself. She had silver-blonde hair from me and green eyes just like Lily's. Her features were as perfect as Remus', and she was intelligent and magical.

Harry had Lily's eyes, but James' hair and features. He also had James' mischievous streak, Lily's intelligence, and magic from both parents.

* * *

Lord Voldemort was getting stronger. He seemed to be after me and Lily, for some reason. We didn't know why, but did as Albus suggested and went into hiding. We both performed the Fidelius charm, James as our secret-keeper, Remus as the Potters'. 

Albus had also decided that Lord Voldemort seemed to be unable to die because he'd trapped bits of his soul in objects. I didn't really understand it, but they seemed to be called Horcruxes, and Albus was quickly destroying them.

Sirius' brother, who had joined the Death Eaters, suddenly decided that it wasn't a good idea after all, and ran away. Sirius heard about this through Peter, who was still spying, and was only too willing to take his brother in. But then the news came that Lord Voldemort had gone after Regulus Black and killed him.

Sirius had never been on the best terms with his brother, but he grieved terribly. For some time, Peter had to check on him every day to make sure he'd eaten, and Lily and I would sometimes invite him to our own homes for a meal, just to make sure.

And the war went on.


	10. Chapter 10: Fatal Fifth

Fatal Fifth

1983 was the year of Lily and James' fifth wedding anniversary. They had also been in hiding for three years.

James, despite everyone's warnings, decided to take Lily out for the special date. After all, they were only going to Hogsmeade, and there would be plenty of witches and wizards around. What could possibly go wrong?

Anything that can, will.

James and Lily went to the Three Broomsticks, leaving Harry with me and Remus. Rhialle and Harry were growing up almost as siblings, rather than cousins. Lily and I were always visiting each other, as James and Remus were the only people we could really trust. Life under the Fidelius charm was very isolated.

So Lily and James were at the Three Broomsticks when Lord Voldemort attacked. Obviously, Lily and James were some of the first to react, Lily sending a Patronus to contact Albus, while James actually stood up and duelled with Lord Voldemort!

But then the Death Eaters arrived, and they overpowered James. He died that night, as did Lily and three others, before Albus arrived.

* * *

I only knew something was wrong when the Fidelius charm failed. Remus tried to talk to Albus by Floo, but he couldn't get hold of him. And then, when Albus appeared five minutes later, we knew something was wrong.

Oddly enough, Sirius was quite comforting. He knew what it was like to lose a sibling – Regulus and Sirius might not have been close, but they _were _brothers – and was very sympathetic. Remus was good, too, and Peter helped look after Harry. I suppose my friends must have been upset too – Lily and James were both really nice people – but Lily was– had been – my sister.

I clung to my friends during the first dark days, and gradually came out of my tunnel of grief.

And there were Harry and Rhialle, looking at me with Lily's eyes.


	11. Chapter 11: Finale

Finale

Even years later, it still seemed impossible that Lily, my wonderful, magical big sister, could possibly be dead. I kept expecting her and James to come back from wherever they were and take Harry back home… I kept thinking, _oh, Lily would like that,_ and realising that she'd never be able to… I kept thinking it was about time we had Lily round for dinner…

And then, nine years after Harry came to stay forever, the Hogwarts letters arrived. Rhialle and Harry had identical envelopes made of really thick parchment and their addresses in green ink.

I remembered Lily's letter when I saw theirs.

Remus noticed, and put his arm round me. I smiled. He was so sweet.

The identical smiles on our faces matched Rhialle's and Harry's.

* * *

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…_


End file.
